A Short History Of The Methodists... - Media Sabda Org

himself to be in the agonies of death; and calling up the family and other friends he bid them
farewell, and said he was dying, and exhorted them all to prepare and meet him at the right hand of
God. He told them he had been preaching the gospel among them, and said "I am now a dying
witness of the truths which I have preached." -- While the friends wept around him, and waited to
see him expire, he began to revive; and after a few days he got so well as to be about again, and lived
about three months longer, and then bid the world farewell.
"James Connor, a native of Buckingham county in the state of Virginia; two years and a half in
the work; a pious, solid, understanding man; his gifts were improveable, and promised usefulness
to the church. In the midst of a blameless life, he was suddenly taken away from labor and suffering,
and blessed with confidence in his last moments."
"John Tunnil, who died of a consumption at the Sweet Springs, in July 1790. He was about
thirteen years in the work of the ministry; a man of solid piety, great simplicity and godly sincerity;
well known and much esteemed both by ministers and people. He had traveled extensively through
the states, and declined in sweet peace."
Mr. Tunnil was elected to the office of an elder at the Christmas conference, when we were first
formed into a church. His gifts as a preacher were great; and his conduct as a pious man, was worthy
of imitation. He was greatly beloved in his life, and much lamented in his death. He died about a
mile to the west of the Sweet Springs. His friends took his remains over the mountain to a meeting
house about five miles east of the Sweet Springs, where they buried him.
There was a new rule introduced into the annual minutes this year concerning Sunday schools;
which is as follows:
Q. "What can be done in order to instruct poor children (white and black) to read!
A. "Let us labor, as the heart and soul of one man, to establish Sunday schools, in or near the
place of public worship. Let persons be appointed by the bishops, elders, deacons or preachers to
teach (gratis) all that will attend and have a capacity to learn; from six o'clock in the morning till ten;
and from two o'clock in the afternoon till six; where it does not interfere with public worship. The
council shall compile a proper school book, to teach them learning and piety."
After this, Sunday schools were established in several places, and the teachers took nothing for
their services. The greater part of the scholars were black children, whose parents were backward
about sending them; and but few of them were regular in attending, and in a short time the masters
were discouraged, and having no pay, and but little prospect of doing good, they soon gave it up, and
it has not been attended to for many years.
Religion prospered this year in an uncommon manner. The great increase of members, however,
was partly owing to the difference in the time of taking the account of them. Last year it was closed
in May. This year in October, which extends the time to one year and five months. Had the numbers
been taken in May as they were the last year, the increase would not have been so large. But there
was a most blessed work of God in different parts of the country. In New England we met with great